20 Animals of Power

Medicine Cards: Fox
25 - Fox: Camouflage
Wiley Fox has many allies in the woodlands, including the foliage, which offers
protection and much medicine. Fox is seemingly able to vanish amidst the lush
undergrowth of the forest. This flora is Fox's ally. The ability to meld into one's
surroundings and be unnoticed is a powerful gift when one is observing the activities of
others.
Another natural gift of Fox is the ability to adapt to winter by changing color, like
the chameleon. Its rich, white, winter coat allows Fox to blend into the snow when the
leaves no longer linger. Fox medicine involves adaptability, cunning, observation,
integration, and swiftness of thought and action. These traits may also include quick
decisiveness, and sure-footedness in the physical world.
Fox's ability to be unseen allows it to be the protector of the family unit. If danger
arises, Fox is johnny-on-the- spot. Nanih Waiya, Great Spirit in the Choctaw tongue,
honors Fox with the duty of keeping the family together and safe. This is accomplished
through Fox's ability to observe undetected, without making others self-conscious. Fox is
always concerned with the safety of family members and is an excellent talisman for
those traveling far afield.
If Fox has chosen to share its medicine with you, it is a sign that you are to
become like the wind, which is unseen yet is able to weave into and through any location
or situation. You would be wise to observe the acts of others rather that their words at this
time. Use your cunning nature in a positive way; keep silent about who and what and
why you are observing. In learning the art of camouflage, you need to test your ability to
pull this off.
One test of exercise that may be helpful to you is deciding to be invisible. In
doing this exercise, you might try to visualize your body as part of your surroundings, full
of the colors of the location you are in. See yourself in your mind's eye, moving with
stealth and grace, unheeded by others. If you do it right, it works! You can leave a party
unnoticed or become as unobtrusive as a piece of furniture, watching the developing
drama of the subjects you are studying.
While learning from Fox, you might also gain confidence in your ability to know
instantly what will happen next. After observing for a while, you will become aware of a
certain predictability in given situations and be able to quickly make your move. Fox
medicine teaches the art of Oneness through its understanding of camouflage. This
applies on all levels, from rocks to God. With Fox medicine, you are being asked to see
all types of uses for Oneness.
Medicine Cards: Fox
Much like the clowns at the rodeo, Fox can keep the raging bull from stampeding
a friend or family member. Fox can use silly tactics as a brilliant camouflage move. No
one could guess the sly power behind such ingenious maneuvers.
Contrary
Watch out for wiley Fox if this card has appeared reversed! Someone may be
watching you, and trying to figure out your next move. If you look deeper, however, it
may be that you are watching yourself to prove to yourself that you exist. If you have a
"wallflower" to the point of disappearing, you may need to decide that you are worth
noticing.
Contrary Fox is as foolish as it is cunning, and you may have fooled yourself into
believed that your low self-esteem is due to your being born plain or having an ordinary
life. This is camouflage of a different sort, in that you have camouflaged your true desire
to experience life with friends, with you, and with purpose. In any case, you are put on
notice to be aware of apathy and self-induced boredom. You may have to dig deeply to
find what excites you enough to scurry across the wasteland of your dulled senses and
live.
Contrary Fox may also be telling you that you have become too visible. In
climbing to a place of recognition, oftentimes the envy or jealousness of others is thrown
in your face. If you are feeling attacked, withdraw. It may be time to assume the attitude
of the hermit and deck yourself in the cloak of invisibility.
To right contrary Fox in this situation, call on Armadillo and name your
boundaries. Then call on the family's protector to show you the art of camouflage. Once
out of the line of attack, you can resume the role of being your "foxy" self.
Become Fox and feel the joy of knowing the playground of your life. You may just
find the chicken coop full of intriguing morsels of delight.
Overview
Fox is associated with cunning, primarily because f its ability to observe the
movements of others without being seen. As a power animal, Fox stresses the power of
adaptability and integration coupled with the quality of quick-thinking and decisiveness
when the time is ripe.
Power animals always express the positive aspects of the characteristics they share
with their physical counterparts, and Fox is not exception. Fox as a power animal teaches
not the cunning of deceitfulness, but kenning of discretion; not the wilyness of being sly,
but the willingness of being unobtrusive. It also stresses the importance of waiting
patiently for the appropriate opportunity to make your move.
It is possible that your principal problems derive from your desire to prove
yourself, and to make your presence felt. If you are feeling threatened, or the victim of
controversy and criticism, or envy and jealousy, you are in need of Fox's help in
becoming less noticeable and in achieving your aims unheeded and unimpeded by others.
Camouflage and be less noticeable.
Medicine Cards: Fox

Blend in. Avoid being the center of attention. Become protective when needed.
Source: Sams, Jamie and Carson, David. Medicine Cards (Santa Fe: Bear and Company, 1988).
Medicine Cards - Squirrel
26 - Squirrel: Gathering
Squirrel teaches you to plan ahead for the winter when the trees are bare and the
nuts have long since disappeared. Squirrel medicine can come in many forms, as this
furry creature is very diverse in nature. The erratic behavior of Squirrel has bested many
a forlorn hunter, and it thus stands to reason that there are benefits to being able to circle a
branch at lightning speed. This erratic behavior of Squirrel can so get nerve-wracking if
you are dealing with persons who have Squirrel medicine. Trying to calm them down
enough to accomplish something may drive you nuts!
The gathering power of Squirrel medicine is a great gift. It teaches you how to
gather and store your energy for times of need. It teaches you to reserve something for
future use, whether it be a judgment, an opinion, a savings account, candles, or extra
food. To put it in a nutshell, Squirrel is the Boy Scout of the animal kingdom - always
prepared.
In today's world of changing times and fortunes, it is the wise person who
prepares for the future. Our prophesies have all spoken of the end of the millennium and
the changes to come. Squirrel is a friendly medicine to have, in light of possible future
rainy days. Its message is to be prepared, but not to go nuts with it. Love yourself
enough to gather the goods that will meet your needs in times of scarcity, even if that time
never comes.
If Squirrel has scurried into your cards today, it may be that you are being told to
honor your future by readying yourself for change. The message could be to lighten your
load if you have gathered too many "things" that do not serve you. These "things" can
include thoughts, worries, pressures, stresses, or gadgets that have been broken for years.
In understanding the balance involved in gathering, you need to look at the idea of
circulating the stock of what you have gathered. Call the nearest thrift store and give the
gadgets to someone who can benefit from them. If something no longer "grows corn" for
you, then it is time to let it go.
Squirrel has another lesson which can aid you if you observe what is obvious, and
which can prepare you for anything. It has to do with the safe place in which to put your
gathering. This safe place is an untroubled heart and mind, and that which is gathered to
put in this place is wisdom and caring. The energies gathered will set your mind and
heart free, so that you will know that all will be taken fare of in its own time. Apply this
to your fears about the future and they will vanish.
Contrary
Medicine Cards - Squirrel
The contrary medicine of Squirrel is the hoarder: a fearful person who expects the
worst and is stuck in waiting. Waiting for something to happen is the trap. No action
equals stagnation, but a little of Squirrel's erratic energy might get things moving. If
Squirrel is hanging upside down on your branch, you may have begun seeing the world
through opposites, hoarding your thoughts of abundance so that fear of scarcity takes
hold. You ask yourself: (1) Have I denied my ability to produce enough space for
abundance to enter my life? (2) Have I denied my connection to the Earth Mother, from
whom all things flow? (3) In moving too fast, have I taken on the erratic nature of
Squirrel without having any focus? (4) Am I leaking my energy on worry instead of
gathering power through being prepared?
Remember, one of the Squirrel family gathered the energy of Eagle and connected
to the Great Spirit... now this Squirrel can fly.
Overview
One thing you can be certain of in an uncertain world is the inevitability of change. So
be adaptable and come into harmony with the cycles of change. That is part of the
message of Squirrel as a power animal. Squirrel emphasizes the importance of planning
ahead and of setting aside things for future needs. It means being prepared for changes,
and even adversities and being ready to respond to them positively.
Squirrel teaches you always to have something in reserve - not in the sense of
being a hoarder, or a miser, but in a balanced way, setting aside for future needs even
though it may not be required later.
Perhaps you have been living entirely on a day-to-day basis. Squirrel is reminding
you to be more thrifty with your time and with your energy. Look ahead.
Use time and energy properly. Waste nothing on negativity. Gather the rewards of
stewardship.
Medicine Cards: Dragonfly
27 - Dragonfly: Illusion
Dragonfly medicine is of the dreamtime and the illusionary facade we accept as

physical reality. The iridescence of Dragonfly's wings reminds us of colors not found in
our everyday experience. Dragonfly's shifting of color, energy, form, and movement
explodes into the mind of the observer, bringing vague memories of a time or place where
magic reigned.
Some legends say that Dragonfly was once Dragon, and that Dragon had scales like
Dragonfly's wings. Dragon was full of wisdom, and flew through the night bringing light
with its fiery breath. The breath of Dragon brought forth the art of magic and the illusion
of changing form. Then Dragon got caught in its own facade. Coyote tricked Dragon into
changing form, and the shape of its new body became like Dragonfly's. In accepting the
challenge to prove its power and magical prowess, Dragon lost its power.
Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and
enlightenment, and the communications from the elemental world. This elemental world
is made up of the tiny spirits of plants, and the elements air, earth, fire, and water. In
essence, this world is full of nature spirits.
If Dragonfly has flown into your cards today, you may have forgotten to water your
plants. On another level, you may need to give thanks to the foods you eat for sustaining
your body. On the psychological level, it may be time to break down the illusions you
have held that restrict your actions or ideas.
Dragonfly medicine always beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which
you need to change. Have you put on too much weight, or have you started to look like a
scarecrow? Have you tended to the changes you have wanted to make in your life? If you
feel the need for change, call on Dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the
pathway of transformation. See how you can apply the art of illusion to your present
question or situation, and remember that things are never completely as they seem.
Contrary
Are you trying to prove to yourself or someone else that you have power? Are you
caught in an illusion that weakens your true feelings or minimizes your abilities? If so,
you may have contracted "Dragonfly dive-bombing." Is this the final "crash and burn" for
some pipe-dream that had no real purpose? Look within and feel the sense-of-self energy
within yourself. Notice if it is ebbing, and find the point in time when you were deluded
into believing that you would be happier if you changed because someone else wanted you
to. Misery is a prime clue that you lost your will and personal vitality when you bought
Medicine Cards: Dragonfly
into someone else's idea of who or what you should be. The illusion was that you would
be happier if you did it their way. In forfeiting what you know is right and true for you
personally, you give away your power. It is time to take it back. Follow Dragonfly to the
place inside your body where magic is still alive, and drink deeply of its power. This
strength belongs to you. It is the power of becoming the illusion. This ability is every
changing, and contains within it the knowledge that you are creating it all.
Overview - Confront denials. Break through illusions. Honor inner truths.
Medicine Cards: Armadillo
28 - Armadillo: Boundaries
Armadillo wears its armor on its back, its medicine a part of its body. Its
boundaries of safety are a part of its total being. Armadillo can roll into a ball and never
be penetrated by enemies.
What a gift it is to set your boundaries so that harmful words or intentions just roll
off. Your lesson is in setting up what you are willing to experience. If you do not wish to
experience feeling invaded, just call on Armadillo medicine.
A clue to how to proceed is to make a circle on a piece of paper and see it as a
medicine shield. In the body of the shield, write all that you are desiring to have, do, or
experience. Include all things that give you joy. This sets up boundaries that allow only
these chosen expediencies to be a part of your life. These boundaries become a shield
that wards off the things which are undesirable to you. The shield reflects what you are
and what your will is to others on an unconscious level. Outside of the shield you may
put what you are willing to experience by invitation only, for example a visit from a long
lost relative, or criticism from friends, or people needing handouts.
If Armadillo has waddled into your cards, it is time to define your space. You
may have been too willing to let your home become a bus station. You may find that you
cannot say "no" even when you know that you will have to cancel plans to be obliging.
This routine can get old in a hurry! It may be time to ask yourself the following
questions: (1) Am I honoring the time I need for my personal enjoyment? (2) Do others
treat me like a doormat? (3) Why do I always get upset when I am taken for granted?
(4) Is there a reason for my being a "yes" person?
All of the answers to these questions relate to setting up boundaries; what you will
and won't do; what makes you feel uncomfortable and what is comforting to you. How
you react in any circumstance has to do with your ability to be objective. You cannot be
objective if you cannot tell where the other person's personality stops and where yours
begins. If you have no boundaries, you are like a sponge. It will seem as if all the feelings
in a room full of people must be yours. Ask yourself if you are really feeling depressed,
or if this feeling actually belongs to the person you are talking to. Then allow Armadillo's
armor to slide in- between, giving you back your sense of self.
Contrary
Go ahead, roll up and hide. This, sarcastically, is the message of reversed
Armadillo. You may think the only way to win in your present situation is to hide or to
pretend that you are armor-coated and invincible, but this is not the way to grow. It is
Medicine Cards: Armadillo
better to open up and find the value and strength of your vulnerability. You will
experience something wonderful if you do.
Vulnerability is the key to enjoying the gifts of physical life. In allowing yourself
to feel, a myriad of expressions are made available. For instance, a true compliment is an
admiration flow of energy. If you are afraid of being hurt and are hiding from feeling
anything, you will never feel the joy of admiration from others.
The key is in allowing Armadillo to help you to stop hiding and to use Armadillo's
armor to deflect negative energies. In this way, you are able to accept or reject any
feeling, action, or energy flow without having to hide from it.
The underside of Armadillo is soft, but its armor will protect this softness if the
boundaries are in place. Hiding from your true feelings and fearing failure or rejection
will amplify your need for cast-iron protection. You have the power to rid yourself of
these doubts and to touch the deepest part of beingness. You will know you are doing the
right thing. Whether it is communicating, or painting, or surfing - the creation belongs to
you. The only real rejection is in not trying break out of the armor you have used to
protect yourself. Is the armor now becoming a jail, and your fears the jailer.
Overview
Respect your Sacred Space. Drop hesitations and banish abuse. Use proper boundaries
and thrive.
Medicine Cards: Badger
29 - Badger: Aggressiveness
Badger is vicious, and attacks with powerful aggression. Badger is quick to anger
and quicker to pounce. The power of Badger's medicine is aggressiveness and the
willingness to fight for what it wants.
The very thought of facing Badger makes other animals run for cover. Like
Skunk, Badger's reputation precedes it. Its hissing fangs will tear less aggressive
opponents to shreds.
Badger is the medicine of many powerful medicine women, for Badger is also the
keeper of the medicine roots. Badger sees all the roots of Mother Earth's healing herbs
hanging in its burrow home. These roots are a key to aggressive healing.
Roots can ground negative energy into the Earth by allowing illness to pass
through a body into the ground as neutral energy. Badger medicine people are quick to
act in a crisis, and they do not panic.
If Badger medicine is part of your medicine, you are quick to express your
feelings, and you do not care what the consequences are. Badger people oftentimes insist
on carrying the ball for the touchdown. This attitude, however, does not endear them to
their teammates.
Badger medicine may also point to the aggressive healer who will have the
courage to use unconventional means to exact a cure. Like the mother who sits for days
nursing a child with high fever, Badge is willing to persist.
Badger people can be vicious gossips, or may exhibit a chip on the should, if they
are out of balance. You can be sure that people with Badger medicine will be aggressive
enough to make it to the tops of their chosen fields, because they do not give up. They
are also the finest healers, because they will use any and all methods to ensure healing,
and will not give up on the critically ill.
A Badger person is often the boss, and the one what everyone fears. That same
boss will surely keep any company afloat. Badger gets the job accomplished. Badger is
certainty is a source of strength.
If Badger has pushed its way into your cards today, it may be telling you that you
have been too meek in trying to reach some goal. Badger asks you how long are you
willing to sit and wait for the world to deliver your silver spoon.
In this medicine, the key is to become aggressive enough to do something about
your present state of affairs. Badger is teaching you to get angry in a creative way and
say, "I won't take it any more." You must follow-up by keeping your eye on the goal.
Honor the healing process as you express those inner feelings.
Be aggressive, but do not cut others to ribbons on the way-that is too much
aggression. use your anger to stop your lolling around, so that your doldrums of apathy
are a thing of the past. Badger is powerful medicine when properly used for selfimprovement.
Remember that Badger may be signaling a time when you can use your healing
abilities to push ahead in life. Heal yourself by aggressively removing the barriers that do
not grow corn. Cut away the dead wood and use Badger's aggression to seek new levels
of expression. Use Badger's medicine roots to keep grounded and centered in the process.
Contrary
Oops! Here comes Badger upside-down and fuming! This could mean that you
are being chewed out by someone else, or that you have expressed your anger in an
unhealthy way. If this applies to you, remember that all anger stems from anger towards
the self. It is an anger of helplessness that is misdirected towards others.
If you are angry at a co-worker for telling the boss that you were looking for
another job, you are really angry at yourself for not keeping your own secret. If you are
angry at your children for disobeying, it is usually anger that stems from fear for the
children's well-being. This self-anger condition is usually present when you have "silly
accidents," falls, cuts and scrapes, or when you find yourself bumping into furniture.
Badger in the contrary position can issue in a time of reflection on what you feel
helpless about. Is it your lack of aggressiveness or initiative? Is it your fear of being
blasted or belittled if you present a new idea? Maybe it is a time when you need to get in
touch with your own jealousy or envy of others who are willing to put themselves on top
through hard work.
In the reverse, Badger teaches you the pitfalls of shyness and insecurity as well as
of misused or vicious aggression. Go to your feelings - maybe you just need to let off
steam. If so, scream into a pillow and then punch it a few times. It will surely put Badger
back into balance. Badger can be difficult medicine, and learning to use it properly is a
rare gift.
In another context, contrary Badger could be calling you to use herbs and roots to heal
your body. Badger reversed may also be putting you on notice to be aware of those areas
of your life that need the input of someone else's aggressive creativity to spark your own.
In any case, contrary Badger speaks of a need for more aggressive action in life. No more
inactivity can prevail without creating pain of some kind.
Overview
Badger is a quick and aggressive animal which will fight ferociously for what it
wants. It lives in burrows and feeds of the roots of plants. As a power animal, Badger
teaches the need to fight for your rights and to defend your principles against any attack.
Badger emphasizes that you should take the initiative in any difficult situation,
and not just accept it meekly. If the problem is an emotional one, Badger encourages you
not to keep your feelings bottled up inside but to let off steam. Have a good cry. Blow
your top. You will feel better afterwards.
Badger is helpful in healing and harmonizing, encouraging you to look for

unconventional means if necessary to affect a cure or result. Roots and herbs can help to
restore your health. If the problem lies in a work situation, or is one concerning human
relationships, the solution can be found at the roots.
Take charge of your life. Go for it. Trust your abilities.
Medicine Cards: Rabbit
30 - Rabbit: Fear
A long time ago - no one really knows how long ago it was - Rabbit was a brave
and fearless warrior. Rabbit was befriended by Eye Walker, a witch. The witch and
Rabbit spent much time together sharing and talking. The two were very close.
One day Eye Walker and Rabbit were walking along and they sat down on the
trail to rest. Rabbit said, "I'm thirsty." Eye Walker picked up a leaf, blew on it, and then
handed Rabbit a gourd of water. Rabbit drank the water but didn't say anything. Then
Rabbit said, "I'm hungry." Eye Walker picked up a stone and blew on it and changed it to
a turnip. She gave the turnip to Rabbit to eat. Rabbit tasted it and then ate the turnip with
relish. But still Rabbit didn't say anything.
The two continued along the trail, which led into the mountains. Near the top,
Rabbit tripped and fell and rolled almost to the bottom. Rabbit was in very sad condition
when Eye Walker got to him. She used a magic salve on Rabbit to heal his great pain and
mend his broken bones. Rabbit didn't say anything.
Several days later Eye Walker went searching for her friend. She searched high
and low but Rabbit was nowhere to be found.
Finally, Eye Walker gave up. She met Rabbit quite by accident one day. "Rabbit,
why are you hiding and avoiding me?" the witch asked.
"Because I am afraid of you. I am afraid of your magic," answered Rabbit,
cowering. "Leave me alone!"
"I see," said Eye Walker. "I have used my magical powers on your behalf and
now you turn on me and refuse my friendship."
"I want nothing more to do with you or your powers," Rabbit countered. Rabbit
did not even see the tears his words were bringing to Eye Walker's eyes. "I hope we
never meet and that I never see you again," Rabbit continued.
"Rabbit," Eye Walker said, "We once were great friends and companions, but no
more. It is within my power to destroy you, but because of the past and the medicines we
have shared together I will not do this. But from this day forward I lay a curse on you and
your tribe. From now on, you will call your fears and your fears will come to you. Be on
your way, for the sweet medicines that bound us together as friends are broken."
Now Rabbit s the Fear Caller. He goes out and shouts, "Eagle, I am so afraid of
you." If Eagle doesn't hear him, Rabbit calls louder, "Eagle, stay away from me!" Eagle,
now hearing Rabbit, comes and eats him. Rabbit calls bobcats, wolves, coyotes, and even
snakes until they come.
As this story shows, Rabbit medicine people are so afraid of tragedy, illness,
disaster, and "being taken," that they call those very fears to them to teach them lessons.
Medicine Cards: Rabbit
The keynote here is: what you resist will persist! What you fear most is what you will
become.
Here is the lesson. If you pulled Rabbit, stop talking about horrible things
happening and get rid of "what it" in your vocabulary. This card may signal a time of
worry about the future or of trying to exercise your control over that which is not yet in
form - the future. Stop now! Write your fears down and be willing to feel them. Breathe
into them, and feel them running through your body into Mother Earth as a give-away.
Contrary
The paralyzed feeling which Rabbit experiences when being stalked is Rabbit in
the contrary position. If you have tried to resolve a situation in your life and are unable
to, you may be feeling frozen in motion. This could indicate a time to wait for the forces
of the universe to start moving again. It could also indicate the need to stop and take a
rest. It will always indicate a time when you need to re- evaluate the process you are
undergoing, and to rid yourself of any negative feelings, barriers, or duress. Simply put,
you cannot have your influence felt until you rearrange your way of seeing the present set
of circumstances.
There is always a way out of any situation, because the Universal Force does
move on. It is the way in which you handle problems that allows you to succeed.
Take a hint from Rabbit. Burrow into a safe space to nurture yourself and release
your fears until it is time again to move into the pasture, clear of prowlers who want a
piece of your juicy energy.
Overview
Rabbit as a power animal is concerned with fears and anxieties. Rabbit provides
the ability to know that something is wrong. You may have been attracted to Rabbit
because you are the kind of person who hops for the best, but fears the worst. Rabbit is
showing you that it is not a matter of pretending such fears do not exist, or even of trying
to resist them. You need to burrow down to bring them to the surface and then get rid of
them - give them to the Universe.
One way of revealing them is to write them down on a piece of paper, then
conduct a little fire ceremony and set light to the paper. You can see your fears and
anxieties vanish into the universe before your very eyes. Let the ashes of the burning
paper fall into a small metal container or bowl. Then go outdoors, dig a small hole in the
ground and bury them. This symbolic act shows that your worries no longer have a place
in your life. Nearly all your fears are imaginary; now they are buried and you can have
faith in the future. Rabbit, you see, can turn the weakness of fear into the strength of faith
if you will accept its challenge. Strength from weakness.
Banish fear. Move beyond fears stagnation. Listen to your heart.
Medicine Cards - Turkey
31 - Turkey: Give-Away
Turkey is actually thought to be the Give-Away Eagle or South Eagle of many

native peoples. The philosophy of give- away was practiced by many tribes. Simply
stated, it is the deep and abiding recognition of the sacrifices of both self and others.
People in modern-day society, who have many times more than they need, should study
noble turkey who sacrifices itself so that we may live. In Turkey's death we have our life.
Honor Turkey.
Spectators unfamiliar with the cultural phenomenon of the pot latch or give-away
ceremony are often mystified by it. A tribal member may gladly give away all he or she
owns, and do without in order to help the People. In present-day urban life, we are taught
to acquire and get ahead. The person with the most toys wins the game. In some
cultures, no one can win the game unless the whole of the People's needs are met. A
person who claims more than his or he share is looked upon as selfish or crazy or both.
The poor, the aged, and the feeble have honor. The person who gives away the most and
carries the burdens of the People is one of the most respected.
Turkey was the medicine of many saints and mystics. Celebrate if you have
Turkey medicine. Your virtues are many. You have transcended self. You act and react
on the behalf of others. You aspire to help those who need help. This is not out of some
sense of self-righteous moralism or religious guilt. Help and sustenance is given by
Turkey out of the realization that all life is sacred. It is knowing that the Great Spirit
resides within all people. It is an acknowledgement that what you do for others you do
for yourself. Turkey medicine rests in true ego, in enlightenment. Doing unto others and
feeding the people is the message of all true spiritual systems.
Depending of how Turkey is aspected in your cards, you are being given a gift.
This gift could be spiritual, material, or even intellectual. The gift may be great or small,
but it is never insignificant. Congratulations. You may have just won the lottery. Or the
gift may be a beautiful sunset, or the smell of a fragrant flower. On the other hand, you
may feel the "spirit of giving" growing within you, and wanting you to share with others.
Contrary
There are several aspects to pulling the gobbler card in the reversed position. Are
you gobbling up anything and everything out of a fear of lack? Are you holding on too
tight and refusing to let go of a dime for charity? It could be that the Scrooge in you has
grown accustomed to the miserly aspect of living. If not, you might look at the possibility
that you are fearful of spending money at this time. Another aspect of "contrary
Medicine Cards - Turkey
gobbling" is the idea that the world "owes" you something and that you do not need to
recycle the energy. "The buck stops here" may only mean that it stops in your bank
account. On all levels of this contrary message, the keynote is that generosity of spirit is
being neglected. This can be towards self or towards others. Remember, never give to
receive. That is manipulation. Giving is without regret and with a joyful heart, or the
"give-away" has most its true meaning.
Overview Let go and give away the past. Share your gifts with generosity. Feel the
freedom gained.
Medicine Cards: Ant
32 - Ant: Patience
Ant can carry a leaf over hundreds of miles just to get it back to the anthill. Ants
in Africa will strip a forest bare when food is scarce, if it takes them a year. Ant's
medicine is the strategy of patience. Ant is a builder like Beaver, is aggressive like
Badger, has stamina like Elk, scrutiny like Mouse, and give-away like Turkey.
Every Ant in an anthill is part of the Ant "group mind," as all the Ants work for the
Queen Ant and the colony. Self- ,sacrifice is part of Ant medicine. Greater than Ant's
other medicines, however, is patience.
Ant people are active, community-minded folks who see the greater future needs
of their town. Ant people are planners, like Squirrel, and are content to see their dreams
being built a little at a time. In today's society this is a rare quality.
In the desert, one type of Any will burrow a conical hole with its apex at the
bottom. The Ant will cover itself and patiently wait for some unsuspecting insect to fall
in. As the sand crumbles, the prey eventually falls to the bottom, only to find Ant's open
jaws.
Patience does have its rewards! Ant people have a knowing about the sweet
victory at the end of the line. There is never a concern about "going without" if they are
late for the opening of a sale. If what they want is sold out, they are sure that something
equal or better is available.
If you have Ant medicine, you eat slowly and deliberately and are content in
knowing that "what is yours will come to you." This knowing is good medicine. It shows
a trust in the Universe to provide. If Ant meandered into your spread today, it is time to
show a little trust and patience in some life situation. You may have forgotten that you
will always receive that which you need, at the time you need it most. It is not on the
horizon or just around the next anthill, you may need to use some strategy. How can you
put to use your power of creation until "it" arrives -whatever "it" means to you at this
time? Ant is working for the good of the whole. Are you? If you are, be assured that the
whole wants the same goodness for you, and that it will be provided.
Contrary
Watch out! Here comes the sting! If you are in a hurry, you may fall prey to those
who are not working for the good of the whole of humanity. Those individuals who make
greed a way of life prey on the fear and urgency of those who have forgotten natural and
tribal law. It's easy money! If this warning applies to you, become aware of users and
con artists. In the contrary position, Ant also teaches you to trust natural law. If you do,
Medicine Cards: Ant
harmony always follows. Your silly impatience will bring Coyote to aid you in
sabotaging your plans for the future if you allow your panic to outweigh your rational
sensibilities. The key here is to honor the will of the Great Spirit, so that mountains are
not made out of anthills.
Overview
Be patient. Honor present moment. Find joy in the now.
Medicine Cards: Weasel
33 - Weasel: Stealth
Weasel has an incredible amount of energy and ingenuity, yet it is a difficult power
totem to have. It is not without significance that ermine or weasel pelt is worn by royalty.
Weasel ears hear what is really being said. This is a great ability. Weasel eyes see beneath
the surface of a situation to know the many ramifications of an event. This too is a rare
gift.
The chiefs sent Weasel to the enemy camp to smoke them for power. "What are
the medicines of the enemy?" the chiefs asked Weasel upon its return.
Weasel never failed to give an accurate account of the enemy's numbers, strengths,
and weaknesses. It was Weasel who tearfully told the Original People of the coming of
the white boat people. "These brothers have strange new medicines," said Weasel. "They
will tell us that to live the way we do is wrong. They will confide us with their talking
bark. They have stolen thunder from Sky Father and placed it in their weapons. They
have no respect for the animal brothers and sisters, and they make their thunder speak to
the animals and kill them. They will make the thunder speak to us also. Their numbers
are too many to count, and these white brothers will steal everything from us but our
spirits. The great dark shadow of the ravenous bird of death has fallen over the People."
Weasel fur changes color with the season. Silent Weasel has many lessons to teach
you. Weasel could confound Great Spirit, pick Great Spirit's pockets, and then leave Great
Spirit contemplating the divine navel. If this is your personal medicine, your powers of
observation are keen. You seem to be saying, "Leave me alone and I will do the same for
you." You might even look a bit guilty at times due to what you know from observing life.
You may be a loner hiding yourself away from others, or perhaps even a recluse. You are
a powerful ally to have in any business organization since you can see what the
competition is doing. People may make a great mistake in sizing you up since they do not
immediately see your powers. But the first time they try to outsmart you, they will soon
learn that your intelligence is greater than their own.
Look to Weasel power to tell you the "hidden reasons" behind anything. Some
people are put off by Weasel medicine, talent, and abilities, but there are not bad
medicines. We all have power, or we would not be here to heal Mother Earth. Perhaps if
you have Weasel power you could use your secret gifts for the good of all. Observe who
or what needs attention, or a solution, and offer your assistance in your
own quiet or discreet way.
Contrary
Medicine Cards: Weasel
Is contrary Weasel in your cards? If so, look out for intrigue. Someone may be
using covert tactics to Weasel into the hen house. Perhaps you should lock your doors and
dress your teenager like a nun. Or perhaps you may be lying to yourself about something
you know to be true. This can be a lie on any level, for instance, storming the refrigerator
at 3:00 A.M., and telling yourself no one will miss the half- eaten portion of the pie. If
you scratch someone else's automobile in a parking lot, leave a note. Don't slink away
because you can. Honesty to self and others is of the utmost
importance.
Another message of reversed Weasel is to acknowledge why you have been
doubting your feelings. Weasel upright observes all actions, feelings, and situations with
keen senses. In the contrary, those abilities of observation are dulled until confusion sets
in. When you don't know how you feel or what is occurring around you, doubt becomes
the barrier to your progress. Then you may find a bit of paranoia seeping into your life.
If you want to right the situation, start by shaking the dullness out of your head and
observing the obvious. No one can fool if you watch your step, honor your knowing, seek
the "hidden reasons," and use discretion in the process.
Overview
Weasel has an acute sense of hearing and the ability to see beneath the surface. As
a power animal, Weasel helps you to develop your inner hearing so that you can listen to
your inner voice, and to heighten your perception so you can see beneath the words and
actions of others and ascertain their true motives and intentions.
Weasel is a help in determining the reasons why something may not be obvious.
So ask Weasel for help in those areas of life which are confusing and worrying, and ask for
answers to why you feel as you do about a particular situation. Look beneath the surface.
Be the detective. Honor what you find. The truth is out there.
Medicine Cards: Grouse
34 - Grouse: Sacred Spiral
Grouse once flocked in abundance throughout North America, but now, even on
the plains, where these birds were so plentiful, there is an absence of them. Many Plains
Indian tribes dance the Grouse Dance to honor these birds. The movement of the dance
follows a spiral, which is the ancient symbol of birth and rebirth, the ribbed tunnel of
eternal return.
The Sacred Spiral is also one of the oldest know symbols for personal power.
When you think of Grouse medicine, visualize a whirlpool or even a tornado, for the
Sacred Spiral will take you to the Center. The spiral is a metaphor for personal vision
and enlightenment. Many initiates on Vision Quests paint spirals on their bodies and
believe that the Great Mystery will favor them with visions of power and purpose because
of this symbol.
The whirling dervishes of certain Sufi orders are masters of the spiral dance and
can transcend to higher states of awareness through the repetition of this sacred
movement. It is said that dervishes can travel to the center of the spiral and return with
any magical power they choose. In the dervish state, on enters the Great Silence and has
direct communication with the Creator. By spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise, the
dervish draws or repulses specific energies. Sufi dancing is a system which connects one
with the Divine Source through ritual treatment of motion.
If you have Grouse Medicine, undertake a meditation on the various qualities of
movement within your world. Begin by visualizing the sun as one member of a huge
group of stars swirling in the massive pinwheel shape of the Milky Way. Then draw
yourself out of this pinwheel of light and into the spiraling of your own DNA's double
helix, an arrangement similar to a rope ladder coiled like a corkscrew.
Analyze the way you move through your world. How do you picture yourself in
the act of locomotion? What kind of reaction do you create with the energy you send into
the universe? What words would you use to describe the way you move through both the
material and spiritual worlds? In the final analysis, is your movement compatible with
your greatest desires and goals?
Many spiritual disciplines ask that you cease all external movement in order to
recognize the inner life. Grouse medicine, however, is an invitation to the dance. Grouse
celebrates the Divine Source through its sacred spiral dance, and offers this dance to you
as a gift. You can spend a lifetime learning Grouse's lesson on how to harmonize your
dance with Mother Earth's cycles, and how to offer the dance as a creation of selfless
beauty.
Medicine Cards: Grouse
Contrary
Drawing the Grouse medicine card in the reverse position signals a dissipation of
energy and lack of control and discipline. It is symbolic of a lost connection to the
Source, and signifies a lack of clear intent behind an outpouring of energy. You may feel
like you are in a tailspin or going down the drain. Confront confusion either in yourself
or in others who may be in the picture. Examine the way your energy may be causing
friction, sparks, or a convolution of a situation that needs clarification. Work towards
harnessing your energy and directing it towards clearly defined goals. Such is the nature
of the Sacred Grouse Dance.
In using this sacred dance as a tool to right contrary Grouse, you may also find
that it is a tool to center or ground you. In grounding, you are once again connecting to
Mother Earth and balancing out the spinning in your head. If you have become so
involved with an idea or problem that you are no longer seeing it clearly, you may feel
dizzy or lacking in concentration. This is a sign that you have entered the thoughtuniverse and are not connected to physical reality. You need grounding if this occurs.
Dancing or walking will put you back in tough with Earth and your body. Grouse
may then teach you how to notice the energy flows that put you in harmony and balance
with body, mind, and spirit.
Overview
Find your rhythm. Honor the synchronicity. Spiral into your potential.
Medicine Cards: Horse
35 - Horse: Power
"Stealing horses is stealing power," was a statement made frequently in historical

native America and a reference to the esteemed role which Horse played in the native
cultures. Horse is physical power and unearthly power. In shamanic practices throughout
the world, Horse enables shamans to fly through the air and reach heaven.
Humanity made a great leap forward when Horse was domesticated, a discovery
akin to the of fire. Before Horse, humans were earthbound, heavy-laden, and slow
creatures indeed. Once humans climbed on Horse's back, they were as free and fleet as
the wind. They could carry burdens for great distances with ease. Through their special
relationship with Horse, humans altered their self-concept beyond measure. Horse was
the first animal medicine of civilization. Humanity owes an incalculable debt to Horse
and to the new medicine it brought. It would be a long walk to see one's brother or sister
if Horse had not welcomed the two-legged rider upon its back. Today we measure the
capacity of engines with the term "horsepower," a reminder of the days when Horse was
an honored and highly-prized partner with humanity.
Dreamwalker, a medicine man, was walking across the plains to visit the Arapaho
Nation. He carried with him his pipe. The feather tied into his long black hair pointed to
the ground, marking him as a man a peace. Over the rise of a hill, Dreamwalker saw a
herd of wild mustangs running toward him.
Black Stallion approached him and asked if he was seeking an answer on his
journey. Black Stallion said, "I am from the Void where Answers live. Ride on my back
and know the power of entering the Darkness and finding the Light." Dreamwalker
thanked Black Stallion and agreed to visit him when his medicine was needed in the
Dreamtime.
Yellow Stallion approached Dreamwalker next and offered to take him to the
East, where illumination lives. Dreamwalker could share the answers he found there to
teach and illuminate others. Once again, Dreamwalker thanked Yellow Stallion and said
he would use these gifts of power on his journey.
Red Stallion approached, rearing playfully. He told Dreamwalker of the joys of
balancing work and heavy medicine with the joyful experiences of play. He reminded
Dreamwalker that he could better hold the attention of those he taught when humor was
integrated with the lesson. Dreamwalker thanked him and promised to remember the gift
of joy.
Dreamwalker was nearing his destination. The Arapaho Nation was close at hand.
White Stallion came to the front of the herd. Dreamwalker mounted White Stallion's
back. White Stallion was the message carrier for all the other horses, and represented
wisdom in power. This magnificent horse was the embodiment of the balanced medicine
shield. "No abuse of power will ever lead to wisdom," said White Stallion. "You,
Dreamwalker, have made this journey to heal a brother in need, to share the sacred pipe,
and to heal the Mother Earth. You have the knowledge through humility that you are an
instrument of Great Spirit. As I carry you upon my back, you carry the needs of the
people on yours. In wisdom, you understand that power is not given lightly but awarded
to those who are willing to carry responsibility in a balanced manner."
Dreamwalker, the shaman, had been healed by the visit of the wild horses, and
knew that this purpose in coming to the Arapaho was to share these gifts with them.
In understanding the power of Horse, you may see how to strive for a balanced
medicine shield. True power is wisdom found in remembering your total journey.
Wisdom comes from remembering pathways you have walked in another person's
moccasins. Compassion, caring, teaching, loving, and sharing your gifts, talents, and
abilities are the gateway to power.
f your ego has gotten in the way, you may have failed to notice the lack of respect
you have been receiving from others. You may, on the other hand, be struggling with
others who are abusing their power. "Should I say something? Should I fight my desire to
put them in their place?" you may be asked. Remember the times in your own life when
you have fallen out of grace with Great Spirit, and then have compassion for the brothers
and sisters who are now doing the same. If you are overpowering another or feeling
overwhelmed, Horse medicine in both the dignified and contrary positions is a simple
reminder of how to balance your shields.
In allowing all pathways to have equal validity, you will see the power and glory
of the unified family of humanity. This is the gift of the Rainbow Warrior or Warrioress.
The "I" has no place in the Whirling Rainbow that comes from the Great Mystery and is
replaced by the universal "we." All colors of the rainbow and all pathways are honored as
one.
Apply this knowledge and reclaim the power you have given away by forgetting to
come from compassion. Untangle yourself from the present situation and understand that
every human being must follow this pathway to power before galloping upon the winds of
destiny.
Overview
Perhaps more than any other animal, the horse has been humanity's closest partner
in the animal kingdom. In ordinary reality, it has carried its rider over distances and made
communication possible. It has helped to shift heavy loads, and in the tilling of the soil.
In non-ordinary reality, the horse has carried the shamanic journeyer to communicate at
other realms of existence, to shifts of consciousness, and to till the soil of deeper levels of
the mind.
American Indians honored the horse as a sacred animal. In Britain and Northern
Europe, magikal fraternities once practiced both the natural and supernatural powers
associated with the cult of the horse.
As a power animal, Horse, is primarily a message carrier and is often concerned
with traversing "gateways." It is associated with the power and responsibility that comes
from exercising authority, and the wisdom required to use it in a balanced way. On an
emotional level, Horse is connected with the need for compassionate understanding.
Horse is related especially with the power of knowledge and wisdom and with
communication and sharing. Communicate.
Honor your medicine. Stand tall. Use your talents. Own who you are becoming.
Medicine Cards: Lizard
36 - Lizard: Dreaming
Lizard sat lolling in the shadow of a big rock, shading himself from the desert sun.
Snake crawled by, looking for some shadow to coil up in and rest. Snake watched Lizard
for awhile as Lizard's eyeballs went side to side behind his enormous closed lids. Snake
hissed to get Lizard's attention. Slowly Lizard's dreaming eyes opened and he saw snake.
"Snake! You sacred me! What do you want?" Lizard calmly replied..
Snake spit his answer from his forked tongue. "Lizard, you are always getting the
best shadow spots in the heat of the day. This is the only big rock for miles. Why don't
you share your shade with me?"
Lizard thought for a moment, then agreed. "Snake, you can share my shade spot,
but you have to go to the other side of the rock and you must promise not to interrupt
me."
Snake was getting annoyed. He hissed, "How could I bother you, Lizard? All you
are doing is sleeping."
Lizard smiled knowingly. "Oh Snake, you are such a silly serpent. I'm not
sleeping. I'm dreaming."
Snake wanted to know what the difference was, so Lizard explained. "Dreaming is
going into the future, Snake. I go to where the future lives. You see, that is why I know
you won't eat me today. I dreamed you and I know you are full of mouse."
Snake was taken aback. "Why Lizard, you're exactly right. I wondered why you
said you would share your rock."
Lizard laughed to himself. "Snake," he said, "You are looking for shade and I am
looking for shadow. Shadow is where the dreams live."
Lizard Medicine is the shadow side of reality where your dreams are reviewed
before you decide to manifest them physically. Lizard could have created getting eaten
by Snake if he had so desired.
Lizard is the medicine of dreamers. Whether dreamers smoke you or dream you,
dreamers can always help you see the shadow. This shadow can be your fears, your
hopes, or the very thing you are resisting. But it is always following you around like an
obedient dog.
If Lizard dreamed a space in your life this day, it may time to look and see what is
following along behind you. It is your fears, your future trying to catch up to you, or is it
the part of you that wants to ignore your weaknesses and humanness?
Lizard may be telling you to pay attention to your dreams and their symbols.
Make a dream log and record all that you remember. Be sure to pay attention to each
individual symbol or recurring pattern. if you do not remember your dreams upon waking
Medicine Cards: Lizard
in the morning, set an alarm for 2:00 or 3:00 Am, or drink a lot of water before you go to
bed and allow your bladder to wake you up. Dreams are very important. Pay attention to
them.
If Lizard has turned up in the contrary position, you may be having a nightmare.
This is a sign of inner conflict. Look to the nightmare for a clue to the nature of this
conflict. What are the feelings your nightmare causes? Breathe through these feelings
and let the sensations flow out of your body. See the truth in what your nightmare is
suggesting. It could be the simple message that you are confronting your fears and
therefore do not need to experience nightmarish events in your day-to-day life.
Another message of Lizard reversed is that you may need more sleep or
dreamtime. It could also imply that you have a lack of dreams for your future.
Imagination is the door to all new ideas and creations. As you examine the
dreaming process, you will find that the subconscious is processing all of the recorded
messages it hold concerning the events you experienced during the day. These messages
can be suppressed feelings bringing inner conflict, or they can be new ideas or goals,
other dimensions of awareness, future events, warning signals, or desires and hopes.
In one sense, contrary Lizard is insisting that you look to your imagination for
new experience. This is necessary when life becomes dull or full of boredom. On the
other hand, contrary Lizard may also apply to those who dream too much, refusing to use
the dreams as tools to manifest that same vision in their lives.
All levels of awareness are accessible through dreams. Remember, life is not
always as it seems. Are you the dreamer? Or are you the dreamed?
The lizard is a creature found in shady areas during the heat of the day, and is
symbolic of the shadowy side of reality - the plane where that is coming into manifestatio
is being fashioned. This plane is sometimes referred to as the "Dreamtime" - the astral
plane of constantly changing patterns and shapes. Lizard is concerned with your dreams
of the future and of formulating what you want to become physical realities.
Lizard is thus connected with your subconscious mind, and your hopes and fears.
It can help you to identify those recurrent problems that follow you around like your
shadow; they must be confronted before they will depart from you. Your aspirations must
have emotion breathed into them to make them manifest.
Next time you encounter Lizard on your journey, look carefully behind you.
Record your observations in a log and note especially any symbols and signs so that you
can identity those that are recurring. Ask Lizard to help you to understand what you see.
Keep a dream log, too, so you can become aware of what is occurring both in your dream
state and your shamanic state of consciousness.
Make your dreams come true.
Rekindle lost goals or desires. Expand your vision. Honor messages in your dreams.
Medicine Cards: Antelope
37 - Antelope: Action
When time was just beginning and the "Tribe of Man" was small, Antelope saw
that the two-leggeds were naked, hungry, and in danger of extinction. The Ancestors
would soon vanish from Mother Earth if action were not taken.
Antelope took action and came into the camp, calling all the two-leggeds together
for Council. "Great Mystery sent me to teach you a lesson. The lesson is do. You have
no need to be fearful if you know what to do and then you do it," Antelope said.
"And what shall we do?" asked the People.
"If you are naked and cold, you should kill me and take my coat to keep you
warm. It is my gift to you. Do it."
"We will," said the People. "But what of our hunger. We are starving. What can
we do to save ourselves?"
"If you are hungry, you should kill me and take my flesh, for it will nourish you
and make you strong. It is my gift to you, and a part of my evolution. It is my service.
Do it."
Antelope knew that humankind would survive the Ice Age if the People learned to
eat meat. Before the movement of the great ice mountains, fruits and vegetable had been
plentiful, and the two-leggeds had had no need to eat of the bodies of their fellow
creatures. The clans of the second world, the world of Ice, ate Antelope. Taking the
instinct and wisdom of the four-leggeds into their bodies, the People learned, through
each creature's essence, how to survive. They were taught never to waste, or to take more
than they needed. When they were in need, the two-leggeds knew how to take action.
Humans learned Antelope's lesson well. Because of Antelope, humans took
proper action and survived to this present day. Antelope taught humans to honor the gifts
sent from Great Mystery, and to avoid indiscriminate destruction of life.
Antelope signifies knowledgeable action; action that has its basis in clarity, focus,
and commitment. Antelope is a symbol for the antenna of your hair, which attaches you
to Great Mystery by its long cords of light. As we look at Antelope, we become aware of
our mortality and the short time we have on this planet. With this is mind, we must act
accordingly. Antelope medicine is the knowledge of life's
circle. Knowing of death, Antelope can truly live. Action is the key and essence of
living.
Antelope powers have been courted and shamanized since the dawn of time.
Antelope clans have been many, and the power of Antelope people is great. Antelope
medicine gives you strength of mind and heart, and the ability to take quick and decisive
action to bring our goals to fruition.
If you feel stymied, momentarily lacking clarity or focus, call on Antelope

medicine. If you are balled up and twisted in knots, Antelope powers will speak to you of
proper action and soon set you free. Many ingenious solutions to such problems are
whispered by Antelope. Listen, and even more importantly, act. Surround yourself with
the illumination and secret knowledge of Antelope. Combine this with action and you
will overcome any obstacle or hindrance in your path. If Antelope is your Centering Tree
and strong personal medicine, thank Great Spirit. Say what should be said. Your
judgment is sound and your actions will be successful.
Always listen to what Antelope has to say to you. For Antelope indicates a
message of higher purpose. Antelope arms you with the Bow of Authority, and forces
you to act on behalf of self, family, clan, nation, and finally Mother
Earth.
Antelope says, "Do it now. Do not wait any longer." Antelope knows the way,
and so do you. Take courage and leap; your sense of timing is perfect. The time is now.
The power is you.
Contrary
Contrary Antelope is a signal that you are listening, and not acting on the will of
Great Spirit. You may be taking more than your share. Antelope medicine in the
contrary makes you crazy and quarrelsome. You will certainly be indecisive and not
know what direction to turn. You might be lying to yourself and others. Stop lying even
in you think it will get you off the hook. Contrary Antelope will trip you at every turn.
Quit being so conventional and following others all the time. Take your own authority.
Let Antelope's heart beat strong in you, and you will know the way. But as always, the
message is "Do it!" The fear of the unknown subsides once action begins.
Contrary Antelope may also be telling you that a decision to start is now
necessary. The main element in procrastination is lack of conviction. To hone your
chosen destiny is to honor your commitment to doing what you "proclaim" you are doing.
Walking your talk is the essence of Antelope people. Talking your walk is contrary
Antelope personified.
To right contrary Antelope, three steps are necessary: (1) Have the desire to do
something. (2) Make the firm decision to begin that action. (3) Do it!
Overview
Antelope is a hunted animal so its future is always uncertain. Its major concern is
with the Now, and with mortality and survival.
As a power animal Antelope stresses the importance of making the best of what
you have and of the time at your disposal, and the need for sustenance and nourishment,
not so much in a physical sense but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Antelope can
give you the power to strengthen your mind and heart, and to acquire the courage
necessary to help you make the right decisions. It emphasizes how important it is to
know exactly what you want, and to then make up your mind to do something positive in
order to bring it about.
Antelope points to a higher purpose, beyond the obvious. So listen to what

Antelope has to tell you and look carefully at what it is trying to show you. Decisive
action.
Time to respond. Take action. No procrastinating. Decide and do it now.
Medicine Cards: Frog
38 - Frog: Cleansing
Frog sings the songs that bring the rain and make the road dirt more bearable.
Frog medicine is akin to water energy, and the South on the medicine wheel. Frog
teaches us to honor our tears, for they cleanse the soul. All water rites belong to Frog,
including all initiations by water.
Water prepares and cleanses the body for sacred ceremony. It is the element we
understand best in the womb. Frog, like ourselves, is a pollywog in the fetal waters, and
only learns to hop after it experiences the world of fluidity.
The transformation into adulthood prepares Frog for its power to call in the waters
of the skies: the rain. In knowing the element of water, Frog can sing the song that calls
the rain to Earth. When the ponds are dry, Frog calls upon the Thunder Beings to cleanse
and replenish the Earth with water. Like Frog, we are asked to know when it is time to
refresh, purify, and refill the coffers of the soul.
If Frog hopped into your cards you chose today, its "ribet" may be calling in the
cleansing you need. If you were to look at where you are today, would you use and of the
following words to describe your condition: tired, overloaded, harried, frustrated, guilty,
itchy, nervous, at a loss, empty, or weakened?
If so, take a break and allow yourself to bathe in the waters of Frog medicine.
This could mean a long, relaxing bath, disconnecting the phone, yelling "stop," or taking
in deep, cleansing breaths.
The key thought is to find a way to rid yourself distractions and to replace the mud
with clear energy. Then replenish your parched spirit, body, and mind.
An ability of Frog medicine people is to give support and energy where it is
needed. A Frog medicine person can clean negativity from any environment. Many
mediums or clairvoyants who work with cleaning "haunted" houses carry Frog medicine.
Many of the world's seers use water on their hands when tapping into other realms of
reality due to water's super-conductive nature.
In Mayan and Aztec shamanistic practices, the shaman places water in his or her
mouth and sprays it over the body of a patient to clear away negative energy. This is done
while holding the thought of Frog firmly in the mind so that healing may occur and the
patient may be replenished with positive energy. Sometimes dried and stuffed Frogs are
also used to guard the person's body during the session.
Frog speaks of new life and harmony through its rain song. The deep tones of
Frog's "ribet" are said to be a call to the Thunder Beings: thunder, lightning, and rain.
The "ribet" is the heartbeat that comes into harmony with Father Sky and calls for the
replenishment needed. Call to Frog and find peace in the joy of taking time to give to
Medicine Cards: Frog
yourself. A part of this giving is cleansing yourself of any person, place, of thing that
does not contribute to your new state or serenity and replenishment.
Contrary
Frog slipped in the mud and is lying on its back, unable to right itself. Get ready
for more mud in your eye.
The contrary position of Frog can denote an unwillingness on your part to wipe
the mire out of your life. Mud can turn from mire to bog to quicksand if you don't
recognize its effect on your present situation.
Is someone draining your energy? Are you allowing yourself to ride down the
tubes with them? Have you tried to settle someone else's quarrel and gotten in the line of
fire? Stop! Recognize what it is that is mucking up the lily pond. Swim with Frog. Frog's
bug eyes see it all. Dive deeply, and then hop to the next lily pad to catch the sun. In this
way, you may see exactly what has been draining your energy.
At times, all of life's activities can be overwhelming, and everyone occasionally
needs a break. Contrary Frog can signal one of those moments, but can also portent a
time of feeling waterlogged. In feeling waterlogged, you may be dealing with too many
emotions or feelings. This is to say that "the world is too much with you" or that you
have immersed yourself in one idea or activity to the exclusion of all other facets of your
life. If this is the case, a break from routine is suggested. Hop to other lily pads or visit
other ponds for awhile.
Negativity is drawn to you when you refuse to give yourself the time and space
needed to assume new viewpoints. Frog in the contrary position is an omen that you are
courting disaster if you don't stop and smell the lilies, eat some flies, bask in the sun, and
"ribet" until the rain comes to refill your spirit.
Overview
Frog is a symbol of shamanism. It teaches how to "jump" from one level to
another - from materialism to spirituality, and from one teaching to another, and to find
the connection between them.
The frog emerges at adulthood from a water environment (world of fluidity) to
that of Earth (solidity and security). As a power animal, Frog can help you to acclimatize
to a new way of life or to just a new viewpoint. Its power is in harmonizing you with any
new situation. Frog also has to do with replenishment, cleansing - the nurturing of self with taking care of yourself. So it can help you to get rid of any negativity and to
replenish your mind and spirit.
Water is associated with absorption and diffusement, and Frog can help you to
wash away ideas and impressions that might be impeding your development. Frog can
help you to take the plunge - to have the courage to set out on a new endeavor and to
accept the new way of life that goes with it. Jump to it.
Bring in the rain. Tears cleanse your feelings. Refill with well-being.
Medicine Cards: Swan
39 - Swan: Grace
Little Swan flew through the Dreamtime, looking for the future. She rested for a
moment in the coolness of the pond, looking for a way to find the entry point to the
future. This was a moment of confusion for Swan, as she knew that she had happened
into the Dreamtime by accident. This was her first flight alone and she was a bit
concerned by the Dreamtime landscape.
As Swan looked high above Sacred Mountain, she saw the biggest swirling black
hole she had ever seen. Dragonfly came flying by, and Swan stopped him to ask about
the black hole. Dragonfly said, "Swan, that is the doorway to the other planes of
imagination. I have been guardian of the illusion for many, many moons. If you want to
enter there, you would have to ask permission and earn the right.
Swan was not so sure that she wanted to enter the black hole. She asked
Dragonfly what was necessary for her to earn entry. Dragonfly replied, "You must be
willing to accept whatever the future holds as it is presented, without trying to change
Great Spirit's plan." Swan looked at her ugly little duckling body and then answered, "I
will be happy to abide by Great Spirit's plan. I won't fight the cut-rents of the black hole.
I will surrender to the flow of the spiral and trust what I am shown." Dragonfly was very
happy with Swan's answer and began to spin the magic to break the pond's illusion.
Suddenly, Swan was engulfed by a whirlpool in the center of the pond.
Swan reappeared many days later, but now she was graceful and white and longnecked. Dragonfly was stunned! "Swan, what happened to you!" he exclaimed. Swan
smiled and said, "Dragonfly, I learned to surrender my body to the power of Great Spirit
and was taken to where the future lives. I saw many wonders high on Sacred Mountain
and because of my faith and my acceptance I have been changed. I have learned to accept
the state of grace." Dragonfly was very happy for Swan.
Swan told Dragonfly many of the wonders beyond the illusion. Through her
healing and her acceptance of the state of grace, she was given the right to enter the
Dreamtime.
So it is that we learn to surrender to the grace of the rhythm of the universe, and
slip from our physical bodies into the Dreamtime. Swan medicine teaches us to be at one
with all planes of consciousness, and to trust in Great Spirit's protection.
If you pulled Swan, it ushers in a time of altered states of awareness and of
development of your intuitive abilities. Swan medicine people have the ability to see the
future, to surrender to the power of Great Spirit, and to accept the healing and
transformation of their lives.
Medicine Cards: Swan
The Swan card is telling you to accept your ability to know what lies ahead. If you are
resisting your self transformation, relax; it will be easier if you go with the flow. Stop
denying that you know who is calling when the phone rings. Pay attention to your
hunches and your gut knowledge, and honor your female intuitive side.
CONTRARY
If you have pulled Swan in reverse, it is a warning that you must acknowledge
what you know, so stop denying your feelings and clutzing up. You may be bumping into
furniture or forgetting what you are saying in mid-sentence. If so, this is a sign that you
are not grounded. Jump in place and hold the top of your head as you do so. This will
get you back in touch with the Earth, and keep you from wandering into a dreamy reality
that lessens your focus. Baths help, as does going barefooted or doing some gardening.
In any case, Swan reversed says that you need to pay some attention to your body.
It can seem as if you are flying without a pilot's license if you are not aware of when you
take off or land. Not recognizing the shift from left brain to right brain is common when
you are evolving spiritually. This is all a part of developing your intuitive side of your
nature and is a sign that you are not being conscious of your entry into other levels of
awareness. In the development of higher mind, you are embarking on new territory that
has rules or universal laws of its own. In the world of Spirit you need to pay close
attention to the unseen. You may sense or feel in a slightly different way, but this is
gradual. Sometimes this shift is lost among your normal activities until you feel "spaced
out." At these moments it is time to reconnect with Mother Earth.
The solution to Contrary Swan is: (1) Notice your surroundings and touch the
Earth with your feet, hands, or both. (2) Focus on one reality of the other: if you are being
called to visit the Dreamtime, stop what you are doing and be still. Enter the silence and
empty your mind of chatter. Be receptive and open so that the message may enter, your
consciousness. (3) If you are just preoccupied, daydreaming, or "spacey," you need to
focus on doing some physical activity. Use the reasoning side of your brain to make a list
of what you need to do next, and this will stop the clutter in your mind that may be
causing the confusion.
OVERVIEW
Swan is, perhaps, the most regal and graceful of birds, yet it develops from a
cygnet which is sometimes described as an ugly duckling. As a power animal, Swan is a
symbol of dreams in which knowledge is imparted to further one's progress in spiritual
evolution and to become a creation of great beauty.
So Swan is a helper in a transformational process and teaches the need to accept
change with grace. Acceptance gracefully.
Accept gifts of grace. Surrender to the flow. Dont give up - give over.
Medicine Cards: Dolphin
40 - Dolphin: Manna
Dolphin speaks to us of the breath of life, the only thing that humans cannot go
without for more than a few minutes. We can live without water and food for days, but
oxygen is the source of our sustenance. Within the breath we encounter the rhythm of
energy that all life emits. In changing the rate or rhythmic texture of our breath, we can
tap into any other life form or creature. This is a very easy way to connect with divine
energy coming from the Great Spirit, as well as with your own personal rhythms.
Dolphin is the keeper of the sacred breath of life, and teaches us how to release
emotions through Dolphin breath. Dolphin creates rhythm, swimming through the water
and breathing before submerging, then holding its breath for the duration of underwater
travel. As Dolphin comes above the water again, it blows its breath out in a manner
resembling the popping of a cork. We can use this same technique to pull the stopper on
our tensions and create total relaxation. This is a good exercise to use before entering the
silence.
Manna is life force. Manna is present in every atom, and is Great Spirit's essence.
Dolphin teaches us how to use life-manna through our breath. It revitalizes each cell and
organ, and breaks the limits and dimensions of physical reality so that we may enter the
Dreamtime.
Dolphin was traveling the oceans one day as Grandmother Moon was weaving the
patterns of the tides. Grandmother Moon asked Dolphin to learn her rhythms so that he
could open his female side to her silvery light. Dolphin began to swim to the rhythm of
her tide weaving, and learned to breathe in a new way. As Dolphin continued to use this
new rhythm, he entered the Dreamtime. This reality was a new and different place from
the seas he had known.
Dolphin came to discover underwater cities in the Dreamtime, and was given the
gift of primordial tongue. This new language was the sound-language that was brought
by Spider from the Great Star Nation. Dolphin learned that all communication was
pattern and rhythm, and that the new aspect of communication was sound; he carries this
original pattern to this day. Dolphin returned to the ocean of the Great Mother, and was
very sad until Whale came by and told Dolphin that he could return to be a messenger to
the Dreamtime dwellers anytime he felt the rhythm and used his breath. Dolphin was
given a new job. He became the carrier of messages of our progress. The Dreamtime
dwellers were curious about the children of Earth, and wanted us to grow to be at one
with Great Spirit. Dolphin was to be the link.
If Dolphin has appeared to you today, frothing through the waves of your spread,
you are to be a link to some solution for the Children of Earth. This can be a time when
Medicine Cards: Dolphin
you are to link with Great Spirit and bring answers to your own question or to those of
others. In addition, this can mean a time of communication with the rhythms of nature.
You are put on notice to be mindful of your body rhythms and the pattern of energy being
fed to you from the Creator. Imitate Dolphin and ride the waves of laughter, spreading
joy in the world. Breathe and experience the manna so freely given. Break existing
barriers and connect to the Dreamtime or Great Star Nation. Know that we are all whole
in the eyes of the Everliving One.
Contrary
If Dolphin appears reversed, know that you are forgetting to breathe. You may be
under stress, and your body may need manna. You may be starving your cells and organs
no matter how many vitamins you are taking. Your natural cycles may be fouling up.
Pay close attention to your health, and your feelings. If you are on edge or just tense, take
time to relax and breathe the life force into your muscles. Focus on releasing old breath
at the bottom of your lungs and refilling your respiratory system with regenerative manna.
Breathe from the diaphragm and fill the lungs to capacity. Then exhale from the chest to
the belly, allowing your body to totally relax as you breathe out.
Another message of contrary Dolphin is that many signals are carried through
universal tides or waves, and you may be failing to use your sonar. To detect these wavepatterns you may need to realign yourself with natural rhythms within your own body.
The it is necessary to use the dolphin breath to connect to universal awareness and
signals.
Dolphin says to dive deeply into the water, to play be the coral reef, and to
discover the beauty of the rhythm of breath.
Overview
Dolphin is a beautiful, gregarious mammal with a beaked mouth, and is found in
all the oceans of the world. In American Indian cosmology Dolphin is the Keeper of the
Sacred Breath which contains the prana/mana life force, which is the Essence of Great
Spirit. As a power animal therefore, Dolphin is associated with the rhythm of energy
within Nature and with your own body, and with revitalization.
Dolphin is symbolic of breath. By changing the rhythm of our breathing, we can
tune into other living things in the universe. This is why rhythmic breathing is so
important.
Dolphin is concerned also with communication which, again, involves pattern and
rhythm, and especially with sonics and with sonic harmonization. It is also associated
with dreams and dreaming, and indicates that you should explore the oceans of your own
dreaming and examine carefully what you see there. Dolphin will help you to decipher
their meanings. The breath of life.
Breathe. Take in life force. Accept the gift of usable energy. Touch the invisible.
Medicine Cards: Whale
41 - Whale: Record Keeper
Whale is very much like a swimming library. Whale carries the history of Mother
Earth and is said to have been placed here by the Ancients from the Dog Star, Sirius.
Biologists say that Whale is a mammal, and very possibly lived on land millions
of years ago. In tribal legend, Whale's move into the ocean happened when the Earth
shifted and Lemuria, the Motherland, went below the waves.
All of our petroglyphs speak of the Motherland, Mu, and the disaster that brought
the red race to North American from the West, beyond the great waters. The symbols in
the pertoglyphs speak of the rivers and mountains crossed by our ancestors when they
sought solid ground as the water receded.
Whale saw the events that led to the settling of Turtle Island (North America) and
has kept the records and knowledge of the Motherland alive. It is said that Mu will rise
again when the fire comes from the sky and lands in another ocean of Mother Earth. The
native medicine people are waiting for this event as the next sign of Earth changes.
Earth's children will have to unite and honor all ways and all races in order to survive.
Whale medicine people are coded in their DNA to understand that sound
frequencies can bring up records in the memories of ancient knowledge. They are usually
clairaudient, or able to hear both very low and very high frequencies. They are usually
also psychically developed and fairly telepathic. Many times, however, they are not
awakened to their gifts until it is time to use the stored records. Many Whale medicine
people are able to tap into the universal mind of Great Spirit, and have no idea how or
why they know what they know. Only later, when they receive confirmation, do they
begin to understand how they know or why the received impressions.
Whale medicine teaches us to use the sounds and frequencies that balance our
emotional bodies and heal our physical forms. To recall why the shaman's drum brings
healing and peace is to align with Whale's message. The drum is the universal heartbeat
and aligns all beings heart to heart.
Before the advent of speech and the primordial language, hand signs were used,
and many tribes were silent most of the time. The language that was understood was the
sounds of Great Spirit's other creatures, the animals.
If you pulled the Whale card, you are being asked to tap into these records and to
allow yourself to be sung to be those who have the original language. We are the only
creatures who do not have our own unique cry or call. Find yours. Allow your voice to
use this sound to release tension or emotion. Whale signals a time of finding your
origins, of seeing your overall destiny as coded in your DNA, and of finding the sounds
that will release those records. You may never again be the same. After all you are the
Medicine Cards: Whale
melody of the Universe, and the harmony is the song of the other creatures. In using your
voice to open your memory, you are expressing your uniqueness and your personal sound.
As you open to this uniqueness, the animals that are your nine totems may then send their
sounds of calls to you or through you. This will open your personal records so that you
may further explore your soul's history and commune with Whale, who carries the history
of us all.
Contrary
If Whale has beached itself in your cards, the contrary medicine implies that you
are not following your sonar or homing device. On some level you have forgotten that
you hold all the answers you need to survive, to grow, and to claim the power of your
chosen destiny.
It may be that you are having to deal with a lot of chatter in your hear and cannot
get to your personal records. If so, you may need to use other sounds to enter the silence.
The drum or rattle, the Indian flute, or the sounds of nature may help. The call of Whale
is the lullaby of the tides. Rock yourself gently and float into the world of the sea. Flow
with the waters of time and collect your answers - they are the only truth that will lead to
your personal pathway of knowing.
Contrary Whale is saying that you must desire to know. You must seek the Whale
song within you. In hearing Whale's call you will connect to the Ancients on a cellular
level, and then as you relax into the flow of the song's rhythm you will begin to open your
unique library of records. It may not come all at once. It may take practice, but if you
hold the desire to know close to your heart, it will be Whale's gift to you. Look to the
Great Star Nation and send gratitude to Sirius for the song of Whale.
Overview
Whale figures in the folklore of all cultures and is a creature of antiquity. In
Amerindian legends the whale is associated with the time before the sea swallowed up
whole continents in a great world-wide catastrophe. It is therefore regarded as the carrier
of ancient knowledge.
Whale as a power animal is concerned with bringing messages out of the depths
of your being - out of ancestral memories that lie deep within you in your DNA code.
The answers to many of life's greatest perplexities lie hidden there, as well as the records
of your own past and the indications of your own destiny. Whale can help you to go deep
down into the oceans of Time and discover and understand the ancient wisdom.
Whale can also help you to find your own unique sound pattern and your own
power song that can link you to the "heartbeat" of the universe. Whale has a power song
of its own which informs Sirius what Earth children are doing! Wisdom of the Past.
Acknowledge your mission. Trust your path. Become your chosen destiny.
Medicine Cards: Bat
42 - Bat: Rebirth
Steeped in the mystery of MesoAmerican tribal ritual is the legend of Bat. Akin
to the ancient Buddhist belief in reincarnation, in Central America, Bat is the symbol of
rebirth. The Bat has for centuries been a treasured medicine of the Aztec, Toltec,
Tolucan, and Mayan people.
Bat embraces the idea of shamanistic death. The ritual death of the healer is
steeped in secrets and highly involved initiation rites. Shaman death is the symbolic
death of the initiate to the old ways of life and personal identity. The initiation that brings
the right to heal and to be called shaman is necessarily precede by ritual death. Most of
these rituals are brutally hard on the body, mind, and spirit. In light of today's standards,
it can be very difficult to find a person who can take the abuse and come through it with
their balance intact.
The basic idea of ancient initiations was to break down all the former notions of
"self" that were held by the shaman-to-be. This could entail brutal tests of physical
strength and psychic ability, and having every emotional "button" pushed hard. Taunting
and spitting on the initiate was common, and taught him or her to endure the duress with
humility and fortitude. The final initiation step was to be buried in the earth for one day
and to be reborn without former ego in the morning.
This ritual is very similar to the night of fear practiced by natives of Turtle Island.
In this ritual, the shaman-to-be is sent to a certain location to dig his or her grave and
spend the night in the womb of Mother Earth totally alone, with the mouth of the grave
covered by a blanket. Darkness, and the sounds of animals prowling, quickly confront the
initiate with his or her fears.
As the darkness of the grave has its place in this ritual, so does the cave of Bat.
Hanging upside-down is a symbol for learning to transpose your former self into a
newborn being. This is also the position that babies assume when they enter the world
through the womb of woman.
If Bat has appeared in your cards today, it symbolizes the need for a ritualistic
death of some way of life that no longer suits your new growth pattern. This can mean a
time of letting go of old habits, and of assuming the position in life that prepares you for
rebirth, or in some cases initiation. In every case, Bat signals rebirth of some part of
yourself of the death of old patterns. If you resist your destiny, it can be a long, drawn
out, or painful death. The universe is always asking you to grow and become your future.
To do so you must die the shaman's death.
Contrary
Medicine Cards: Bat
If Bat is still hanging upside-down in the cave and immersed in darkness, you
have met its contrary medicine. This position leads to stagnation of the spirit and a refusal
to acknowledge your true destiny - which is always to use the talents you have to the
fullest. Is there some area of your life that has dammed up and therefore stopped your
desire to create? If so, look at surrendering to the death of that stagnation.
Bat can also imply that in the reversal of your natural cycle of rebirth you are
trying to go at life in a backwards mode. This is a breech birth, in a sense. This type of
occluded understanding of how to go about freeing yourself can lead to a stillbirth if you
struggle too long in the birth canal. The final outcome can be death of the body. Some
people think themselves into a corner with obstacles that are illusionary. By the time they
decide what to do, the opportunities are gone and old age is upon them. All of their
dreams have passed they by. Reversed Bat says to use your mind, courage, and strength
to insure an easy labor and quick delivery into your new state of understanding and
growth. Surrender to the new life you have created from thought and desire, and bravely
greet that dawn.
If you are concerned with today and tomorrow but not much further, you may
forget to see further down the road. Tribal teachings say that you are responsible for
future generations because you are the ancestors of the future. Whatever you do today
will affect the next seven generations. Every decision, every thought, is to create a state of
stagnation or rebirth for those that follow you on the Good Red Road. If you are blocking
yourself, you may be blocking the generations to come.
Bat flies at night, and in the night are born your dreams. These are the dreams
that build future civilizations, so nourish them well.
Overview
The bat is an animal steeped in mystery, and one which arouses unease in some
humans because it is related to darkness and the unknown. Some are afraid of it, perhaps
because of its association in horror movies with the supernatural and with ritualistic
death.
The bat lives in a cave or a dark place; this is symbolic of the womb, and the
animal's position hanging upside down parallels that of the unborn self, immersed in
darkness. To encounter Bat as a power animal, therefore, signifies the process of
initiation - the ending of an old way of life and a rebirthing into a new life pattern. Bat is
there to help you to let go of old habits and a previous way of life, and to face a new
dawn. You cannot make progress by hanging on tightly to the very things that are
holding you back. So, confront your fears head on, and they will flee from you.
Bat is there to help you see in the darkness and to find your way to a new
understanding. Face your fears.
Be flexible. Prepare for rebirth. The time is now, the power is you.
Medicine Cards: Bat
Medicine Cards: Spider
43 - Spider: Weaving
Spider wove the web that brought humans the first picture of the alphabet. The
letters were part of the angles of her web.
Deer asked Spider what she was weaving and why all the lines looked like
symbols. Spider replied, "Why Deer, it is time for Earth's children to learn to make
records of their progress in their Earth Walk." Deer answered Spider, "But they already
have pictures that show through symbols the stories of their experiences." "Yes," Spider
said, "But Earth's children are growing more complex, and their future generations will
need to know more. The ones to come won't remember who to read the petroglyphs."
So it was that Spider wove the first primordial alphabet, as she had woven the
dream of the world that had become manifest. Spider's dream of the physical world had
come to fruition millions of years before.
Spider's body is made like the number eight, consisting of two lobe-like parts
connected at the waist, and eight legs. Spider is the symbol for the infinite possibilities of
creation. Her eight legs represent the four winds of change and the four directions of the
medicine wheel.
Spider weaves the webs of fate for those who get caught in her web and become
her diner. This is similar to humans who get caught in the web of illusion in the physical
world, and never see beyond the horizon into the other dimensions.
The web of fate also represents a wheel of life, which does not include any
alternatives or solutions. It is typically human to get caught in the polarity of good or bad
fortune without realizing that we can change it at any time. If we are not decisive enough
about changing our lots in life, we may end up being consumed by our fears and
limitations.
Spider is the female energy of the creative force that weaves the beautiful deigns
of life. Her web has hundreds of intricate patterns which catch the morning dew.
If Spider has dropped from her web into your cards today, she may be telling you
to create, create, create! Look for new alternatives to your present impasse. She can also
be warning you that you are coming too close to an entangling situation. Spider could be
asking you to use a journal to write out and review your progress. If you do this, you will
not forget how you are creating a new of different phase in your life.
Spider brings a message of a different kind when she sees you becoming a bit too
involved in the weaving of your life plans to notice opportunity at the outskirts of your
web. If this is the case, Spider gets your attention so that you notice that something you
have woven has borne fruit. Congratulations! Spider caught you just in time, before you
missed the opportunity on the edge of your web of reality.
Medicine Cards: Spider
The most important message from Spider is that you are an infinite being who will
continue to weave the patterns of life and living throughout time. Do not fail to see the
expansiveness of the eternal plan.
Contrary
The contrary aspect of Spider is akin to the negative side of woman. Spider will
eat her mate if she gets too caught up in herself to see the validity of honoring male
energy. The warrior at her side is a strong balancing force. If you have become disdainful
of your mate (male or female) and have felt very superior recently, you are not honoring
either your male or female side.
If you are not presently in a relationship, you may have chosen a member of your
family or a workmate to harass. This type of negative criticism only breaks down
relations, and is a reflection of something you hate about yourself. If you are trying to
feed your ego in this manner, you have lost the game. You are entangled in the web of
your own illusion about who you really are. It may be time to look at why you are being
critical and why you are feeling so weak that you must attack others.
If this does not apply to your situation, take a look at another message that
contrary Spider medicine brings: lack of creativity. if you fail to use your talents to get
the web spinning, your lack of creativity can change into destructiveness. If you are
feeling stagnant and unable to move in a positive direction, you may come to resent
others who are doing well. This resentment will become a Black Widow Spider and eat
you up, and the only one to mourn your demise will be you. Get moving, find joy and
new ideas in the accomplishments of others, and use them to propel you into a new phase
of creative spinning on your own web of delight. Observe Spider's web and find pleasure
in the ideas you receive from her universal language.
Overview
Dance your dreams alive. Create from your hearts bliss. Weave the web you want to
live.
Medicine Cards: Hummingbird
44 - Hummingbird: Joy
Hummingbird is associated with the Ghost Shirt religion, which taught that a
certain dance done properly would bring about the return of the animals, and that the
white people would disappear; the Indian race would be restored and a regenerated Earth
would come into being where the pristine conditions of life would prevail... a message of
salvation. Once again the Original People would know the joy of the old ways. In Mayan
teachings, Hummingbird is connected to the Black Sun and the Fifth World. (We are
now in the Fourth World, moving into the Fifth World of peace, healing, and
transformation. The end of this the Fourth World is a time of great transformation and
change, of what some say is the coming of the Black Sun.)
The song of Hummingbird awakens the medicine flowers. Hummer sings a
vibration of pure joy. Flowers love Hummingbird because nectar-sucking brings about
the reproduction of their families. Plants flower and live because of Hummingbird.
Hummingbird can fly in any direction. Hummingbird can also hover in one spot
and appear to be motionless. Great Spirit created Hummingbird to be slightly different
from other feathered creatures.
Because of their magical qualities, Hummingbird feathers have been used for
millennium in the making of love charms. It is said that Hummingbird conjures love as no
other medicine does, and that Hummingbird feathers open the heart chakra. Without an
open and loving heart, you can never taste the nectar and pure bliss of life. To Brother
and Sister Hummingbird, life is a wonderland of delight - darting from one beautiful
flower to another, tasting the essences and radiating the colors.
If Hummingbird is your personal medicine, you love life and its joys. (Do you
take the time to manifest this joy in your life?) Your presence brings joy to others. You
join people together in relationships which bring out the best in them. You know
instinctively where beauty abides and, near or far, you journey to your ideal. You move
comfortably within a beautiful environment and help others taste the succulent nectar of
life.
Hummingbird holds the Bow of Beauty which is delicately inlaid with gold and
silver flowers, pearls, and precious jewels. Hummingbird disdains ugliness or harshness,
and quickly flies away from discord or disharmony.
If Hummingbird has flown into your cards, get ready to laugh musically and enjoy
Creator's many gifts. Drop your judgmental attitude and relax. Hummingbird will not
doubt give you a flash of the spirit, darting here, there, and everywhere. Get ready for a
strange new burst of energy which may send your senses reeling.
Medicine Cards: Hummingbird
Hummingbird hears celestial music and is in harmony with it. Hummingbird may
invite you to an art museum or a concert. Hummingbird energetically embraces the
highest aesthetics.
Never be coarse in front of Hummingbird, for this is a fragile Medicine which
may have no understanding of worldly affairs. Beauty is the target, and its mission is to
spread joy or to be destroyed. It quickly dies if caught or imprisoned.
Follow Sister Hummingbird. Be filled with joy and experience the majik of
living.
Contrary
If contrary Hummingbird is in your cards in any configuration, it speaks to you of
matters of the heart. How or why has your heart center been closed? Have you done
something callous to another, causing them to shut off the love they once felt for you?
The contrary Hummingbird may presage sorrow and the inability to see the many
blessings we two-leggeds have been given and the primordial beauty that surrounds us. If
contrary Hummingbird sings its forlorn song, perhaps you should journey into your
personal pain and know that your sorrow is your joy in another reflection.
Overview
The hummingbird is a magnificent little creature that, unlike any other bird, can
fly in any direction and even hover. Its long beak enables it to draw succulent nectar from
every variety of flower. Its movement from one flower to another is a dance of delight,
and its singing is a melody of ecstasy.
In American Indian folk stories, the hummingbird is associated with love and joy.
Its appearance as a power animal is indicative of the sheer delight of living, and of living
the bliss of loving. It implies an ability to see beauty in everything and it is concerned
with bringing out the best in people and the good in every situation.
Hummingbird embraces the highest principles and brings the majik of the spiritual
realm into earth activities. Hummingbird can help you make the progress of living a
Dance of Beauty. Dance in beauty.
Embrace what makes you happy. Be joyful. Count your blessings. Open yourself to
pleasure.

20 Animals of Power

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

20 Animals of Power

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Medicine Cards: Fox

Medicine Cards: Fox

Medicine Cards: Fox

Medicine Cards - Squirrel

Medicine Cards - Squirrel

Medicine Cards: Dragonfly

Dragonfly medicine is of the dreamtime and the illusionary facade we accept as

Medicine Cards: Dragonfly

Medicine Cards: Armadillo

Medicine Cards: Armadillo

Medicine Cards: Badger

Medicine Cards: Badger

Medicine Cards: Badger

Badger is helpful in healing and harmonizing, encouraging you to look for

Medicine Cards: Rabbit

Medicine Cards: Rabbit

Medicine Cards - Turkey

Turkey is actually thought to be the Give-Away Eagle or South Eagle of many

Medicine Cards - Turkey

Medicine Cards: Ant

Medicine Cards: Ant

Medicine Cards: Weasel

Medicine Cards: Weasel

Medicine Cards: Grouse

34 - Grouse: Sacred Spiral

Medicine Cards: Grouse

Medicine Cards: Horse

"Stealing horses is stealing power," was a statement made frequently in historical

Medicine Cards: Horse

Medicine Cards: Horse

Medicine Cards: Lizard

Medicine Cards: Lizard

Medicine Cards: Antelope

Medicine Cards: Antelope

If you feel stymied, momentarily lacking clarity or focus, call on Antelope

Medicine Cards: Antelope

Antelope points to a higher purpose, beyond the obvious. So listen to what

Medicine Cards: Frog

Medicine Cards: Frog

Medicine Cards: Swan

Medicine Cards: Swan

Medicine Cards: Dolphin

Medicine Cards: Dolphin

Medicine Cards: Whale

41 - Whale: Record Keeper

Medicine Cards: Whale

Medicine Cards: Bat

Medicine Cards: Bat

Medicine Cards: Bat

Medicine Cards: Spider

Medicine Cards: Spider

Medicine Cards: Hummingbird

Medicine Cards: Hummingbird

You might also like